Snap switch



T. L. PARKER @Fume 269 Y R928? SNAP SWITCH vFile@ 061.4, 1924 2 sheets-sneet .l

me 26, 19m 13,674,917

T.L. PARKER..

SNAI? SWITCH Filed 00h11, 1924 2 sheets-sheet 2 l20 bled together in a slime 2G63, ltltl.

TEUEAS 5L. PARKER,

F CHICAGO, ILLENIS, ASSGNOE'T@ STANDARD ELECTILEL'@ ener str-irren.

Application led otoher il, 192e. Serial i310. $11,699.

My invention belongs to that general class of devices known as snap switches, particularly the typeknown in thetrade as toggle snap switches, although certain features are o applicable for push as well as toggle switches. rlhe invention has among its objects the production of a device of the kind described which is simple, compact, convenient, durable, reliable, safe, eliicient'and I0 satisfactory for use wherever found applicable. My invention has among its other objects the production of a device of the kind described lthat will operate easily, smoothly and quietly and with'a quick or snap movel ment. lt has among its furthcr'objec'ts a. de-

vice ,of the kind described consisting of aA `minimum number of parts, each 4of which may be economically constructed and the parts conveniently and economically assemcompleted device. Many other objects` and advantages of the const-ruction herein shown and described will be obviousto those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein given. d5 To this end my invention consists in the novel constructionyarrangement and combination of' parts hereinv shown' and described a'nd more particularly pointed out in the claims.

ln the drawings wherein like reference characters indicate like or corresponding parts; f

Fig. switch 1 is a front elevation'of one type of with the a plate removed;

, Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 2 2 of Fig. l;

1 Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 1,the face plate shown in section;

tially on line fl-Ll of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of thebracket arm plate;` Fig. 6 is al perspective view carrying member;

' Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the rocker armg Fig. 8 is a. view in elevation oi one oi the contact members;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially on line 9-9 ofFig. 8; andv Fig. v10 isan enlarged sectional view taken lsubstantially on line 10-10'of Fig. 8.

Referring to the drawings in which the et preferred embodiment of the invention is of the brush Fig. a is a sectional view taken substanshown, 1 represents thebracket plate ci 'suitable size, shape and material, and Za'f base or receptacle also of suitable size, shape and material, preferably of porcelain 4or like insulating material. rlhe bracket plate 14 and receptacle 2 are secured together in lany. suitable manner, generally by meansot screws, bolts, or the like, 3.. 'lnthe drawf ings l have illustrated what is known as a toggle switch, the switch mechanism being controlled by means of the toggle lever or arm 5 projecting through the plate 1 'to the exterior of the receptacle and through'the usual faceplate. 1

Referring particularly to Fig. 5, the plate 1 is provided with threaded holes ,4c tor engagement with the screws 3, and is stamped out to provide the integrally formed bracket arm members 7 which are bent up substantially as shown. An' opening 6 is also stamped in the plate through which the toggle handle portion 5 extends. As shown, the bracket arms Z are formed at their outer ends Ato provide shoulders 8 or stops for the brush carrying member to be described. The arms are also preterably provided with studs 9 and 11 on the inside and outside, respectively, of the arms, and on theinside also p-rovided with stops vtially punched out so as to provide the pro jections 9, 11 and 13, it being understood that ltheY punching is not sucient to sever the. material but merely to such an extent so that the vstud or stops are sudioient length and'remain integral with the bracket.

l have illustrated in Fig. 7 a perspective view of the rocker arm 16 which consists of a plate formed substantially as a yoke with the ends bent or turned to provide bearing portions 18 which are notched as indicated at 19 for engagement with the studs 9. The notches 19 provide open bearings facilitating the assembling. l prefer to provide a handle portion 50u the arm 16, the same being or" hard rubber, bakelite, fibre, or any. equivalent insulating or non-conducting material. This handle portion may loe-secured y to the rocker arm in any suitable manner, for

rEhe brush carrying member is shown in perspective in' Fig.l 6 in which 20 represents a plate turned up lat the ends as indicated at 21 to also provide a yoke, 22 Vbeing in Fig. 3, when the handle portion 5 is pushed from one side to the other, the spring snaps past the pivotal centers thereby snapping the brush-carrying member. from one side to the other, this movement, however,

being limited by the shoulders orV stops 8,-

movement of the rocker arm 16, or toggle lever as it may be termed, being limited by .the stops 13. The brushes may be secured to the brush-carrying member in anybsuitable manner, the same as shown, conslsting ofbars 27 provided with contact memberends 28. 29repre'sents insulation and 30 plates arranged at either side thereof. The brush construction shown is mounted on the prongs or llugs, 31 extending transversely outwardly from, the arm` portions 21. The

` construction and insulation is such thatv the 1,389,213, or equivalent thereto.

brush slipped on the prongs 31 isentirely insulated therefrom. The insulation lia'y'be similar to that described in my -lPatent No. The ends 31 arethen upset securing ythe brush parts in place.

In a single poleswitch the brush is arranged one at oneside of the brush-carrying members, the prongs on the opposite side 'being omitted. In a two pole switch lthe brushes are mounted at' bothsides, and obviousl more than one brush may be carried at either side. With some types of switches the brushes 4are set at an angle, as for example, in a three-way switch, and they may be arranged reversed on opposite sides,'as for example shown vin Fig. 4, the contacts to be hereafter described being reversed. In other words for example, in a three-way switch the members 27 arevso arranged that they are not inv alignment, vbut at an angle to each other so that pushing the tog le lever in one direction closes the circuit getween the two contacts of the member and 'breaks the circuit through the other contacts. Pushing the toggle in the opposite directions breaks the circuit at the first mentioned member 27 and closes the same through the l other member.

l have shown in Figs. 8, and a preferred type of contact, the same being in the form of a resilient brush adapted to`it for attachment of on the other side.

revenir and embrace the'portions 28 on the bar .27; As shown, 33 represent plates or the like preferably of conducting material-secured to the recesses in the receptacle by means of screws 34 or the equivalent. Fach part 33 is provided with an u .standing portion 35 and a transverse exten 1ng port1on-36, preferably" but not necessarily extending 1n the o same direction as lthe portion 33. ',lhe con'- ducting wire is secured 'and operatively connectedwitli the contact by means of'a screw 437. If desired, a prong or extending part portion 35, is a brush or contact consisting l of the plate'38 provided with the extending portions 4() spaced apart but with the ends 41 broughtinto proximity so as `-to yie1dr ingly embrace and Contact with the sides 0128 when brought in between the same.

While 38 may' be secured to 35 in any suitable manner, I generally prefer to secure vthe same to the integrally formed stop 39 lwhich is flanged over at the outer end so as to overlie and permanently secure the Contact or brush to the part 35. In this connection `it may bementioned that this lug '39 is preferably of such shape that there is no tendency for the wbrush portion'to turn y or become .displacedand it will be noted by referring to dotted lines in Fig. 9 that the same -may be reversed in position, the samebeing-in fone position on one side or end ot'- the4 receptacle and in the reversed position on the other` side. The devices are similar, the only1 difference being that on the oneside portion 40 is as 'shown in full lines in Fig. 9 and as shown in dotted lines I have shown in Fig. 3 the faceplate 43 in position over thedevice. It will be noted that the face plate is provided with an opening registering with the opening v6 in the plate 1. Preferably arranged between the plates is acover member 44. I have shown this Amember mounted on the handleportion A5 and provided with indicating symbols 45. rlhis cover member is generally made of ibreand may be slipped over the mem- -ber 5, if desired a slight Ashoulder 46 being arranged to engage over the member and prevent its accidental displacement during shipping or installation. Obviously, when the member 5 is moved up or down, the

proper indication will be shown through the opening inthe' face pate. These indications may vary with the particular type of switch, that shown inFig. l'being suitable for a single or double switch.

As most clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 5, plate 1 is provided with extended ends ai with holes 47, 48 and 49. The holes 47 may f be threaded to engage suitable screws for/[ I the holes 48 and 4 9 are arranged toreceive- .its receptacle,

j nemers y securing the "face plate 43 in place, while screws or bolts for securing the switch in or` where desired, the particular holes used 'depending upon the receptacle or box, it being lthe usual practice to arrange the switch inv a metal or other box.

As shown, portions ofthe porcelain are cut vaway adjacent the binding l y postsv to permit attachment of the conducting wires to the receptacle generally' i struction resulting in economical manuiac4 ture; Assembly is very easy. `The several The switch in operatlonsis Ldevice consists ofparts,

i While I -have shown a singleswitch in piece, it isobvious that the, same. may be assembled in usually has` -itsindividual porcelain 4receptacle, vor, y tacle may be provided', arr-angedto receive any desired number yof switchmechanisms.

lln a single pole switch the porcelain receptacle may be made smaller or narrower, as obviously the space Jfor the additionalbrush is not required. While the standardsize of may of course be employed,"it is in `some cases, one porcelaink recep-I gangs, in which assembly' each referred l#to construct' the` smaller therebyA preventing any its integralformed brackets as well as the.

brush contacts each require one screw while the plate and receptacle are secured together by two screws, the only rivetingor upsetting have been conveniently assembled, the. units to secure the brush members on the prongsv 3l and the contacts' on" the plates 35. he spring' iseas'ily hooked to its parts soxtlnit when the several parts of the units may all be assembled together in a most convenient manner. y

Having thus described my invention, it is tions may limiting myself to the exact form, construction, arrangement and combination of' parts herein shown tioned. l What I claim Las new and desire `to secure by Letters Patent is: n

. l. 'ln a' switch of theA class and described or uses mendescribed, a

-obvious 'that "various immaterial modificabe' made in the same without vdeparting from the spirit of my invention; vhence I do not wish to be understood as brush carrier part consisting of a single flat .piece of material bent at the ends tov form a pi'ece, with substantially parallel flat legs and formed'with openbearings at the `free ends thereof, .spaced lugs bentv outv wardly from .the free-ends of said legs on said Ushaped piece, bars carried-bysaid lugs having contact ends extending in 'opposite directions at each end of the bars, insulation uponopposite sides of the bars, and

vplates mounted on the lugs uponthe outer.

sides of the insulation'.

2. ln a switchfof the class described, a U-shaped rocker arm, an extension thereon at its intermediate portion, bearing portions at the ends of the side portions of `said rocker arm andl disposed at right angles tov the side faces of the body of the rocker arm` and formed in their outer ends with bearing receivingnotches.

/ vln testimony whereof, l haveihereuntol 4signed my nam THOS L. PARKER. 

